Former Vice President of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), Dr. Keshab Paudel, has welcomed the unification achieved within the association on Sunday.
In the presence of Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, NRNA President Mahesh Kumar Shrestha and the faction led by Dr. Badri KC signed a 10-point unification agreement during a ceremony held at Singha Durbar.
Dr. Paudel, an active advocate for unity within the NRNA, expressed that although the agreement is a major step forward, some differences among various groups still remain.
“A broad unity agreement has been signed within the NRNA. However, differences on several issues continue to exist among some groups. Therefore, emotional unity is the need of the hour,” Dr. Paudel stated.
“I have always worked to keep the organization unified. The ego at the leadership level was the main obstacle. I had advised both sides to respect the existence of the two committees formed in 2023 and 2025, and to build consensus on coexistence. The current agreement to accept each other and move toward a joint convention is a positive step,” he added.
Dr. Paudel, who is also a former president of NRNA NCC America, emphasized that the main objective of the association is to protect the rights and welfare of Nepali diaspora and strengthen their contribution to Nepal.
“A unified NRNA must now take meaningful initiatives to implement NRN citizenship, ensure the contribution of NRNs in Nepal’s development and reconstruction, and secure voting rights for Nepalis living abroad. I wish everyone success in emotionally uniting the organization in line with the aspirations of millions of NRNs worldwide,” he wrote on social media.
According to the agreement, both factions will complete the 12th NRNA Global Convention within six months.
Other key points include:
- Formation of an 11-member Steering Committee, including individuals who will not be candidates, to ensure transparency of the upcoming convention.
- Appointment of Gauriraj Joshi and Baburam Lama with full authority to manage the Membership Information System (MIS) for fairness and transparency.
- Formal documentation of past committees led by Kumar Acharya, Rabina Thapa, Dr. Badri KC, Binod Kunwar, and Rajendra Kumar Sharma as former working committees under the organization’s records.
- Withdrawal of all legal cases related to NRNA’s official legitimacy, or resolution through mutual understanding.
The unification is seen as an important step toward stabilizing the organization and strengthening its global role.
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